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Carlisle park death was second tragedy to strike family

Published at 07:48, Friday, 27 April 2012

The death of a man in a Carlisle park in freezing temperatures was the second tragedy to hit his family.

Christopher James Greer

Christopher James Greer, 36, known as Jamie, of Brisco Road, Upperby, was found dead by a couple walking their dog on parkland at Hammonds Pond on the morning of January 8 last year when temperatures were below zero.

His death sparked a major police investigation but there were found to be no suspicious circumstances.

An inquest in Carlisle heard Mr Greer died of a combination of alcohol and diazepam toxicity and hypothermia.

Diazepam also contributed to the death of his brother Terence Lee Greer in 2009. He died after accidentally overdosing on a combination of the drug and codeine.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, North and West Cumbria coroner David Roberts said: “It is desperately sad for a family to lose two members so close together.

“There are no injuries to suggest an assault had taken place and no evidence that there was anyone there with him.

“He lost his way after he became disorientated and hypothermia creeps up on you without you knowing about it.

“I am satisfied that the cause of death was hypothermia and alcohol and diazepam toxicity.”

After drinking at a friend’s house on the afternoon and evening of January 7, Mr Greer was walking through the Hammonds Pond before he became unconscious.

His body was found the following morning by a couple walking their dog.

His brother Terence Lee Greer, 35, took an accidental overdose of codeine and diazepam due to pain caused by a hip replacement. He died in bed just two weeks after asking his partner to marry him.

Christopher James Greer had difficulty dealing with the death of his brother and would sometimes take diazepam to help him sleep.

He was known to regularly walk through the park and on one occasion spent the night in hospital after it is thought he fell in the water while drunk.

But his mother Janice Greer said her son had cut down on his drinking and wouldn’t put himself in that position.

She said: “He got to the stage where he was hardly drinking at all and he knew the area extremely well.